For years after winning the 2011 National Championship, Jake Williams has had a developing vision to create this film. Jake graduated from USC with a degree in Visual Communications, so when he approached Ray Tanner and the University about his idea, they took immediately to it. A former player/trained videographer by USC, telling the story about USC's most accomplished sports era. He has insights, perspectives, visual documentations and relationships that provide a gusto that no one else could bring. Rather than a random journalist conducting interviews for the film, it has been Jake with teammates and coaches whom he has very intimate relationships with. He gets them talking, laughing, emotional and sharing about things that not many others could!
Since college, Jake has traveled all over the country, settling first in Atlanta, then to California, Massachusetts, Charlotte and now back to Greenville. In 2016, he moved to Sweden where he head-coached and played on a professional team near Stockholm. He lived there for six months and traveled all over Scandinavia. Jake has remained in baseball in different ways than most (as was always his path): Playing abroad, coaching a high school team in Northern California, and now putting together this film. He always knew this story should be told and finally figured, he would do it himself!
Jake has taken on all aspects of the project from directing, interviewing, editing, producing, music scoring and producing, logistics, planning and much more. He has kept USC and those linked to it, involved in the project as much as possible and is excited to create something that not only Gamecock fans will enjoy, but something any human will appreciate. This has all the makings of a great sports story: records, championships, guys in the big leagues now, but its much more than all of that; it tugs at the human condition while telling the story of one of the greatest teams in college baseball history. Lives were truly touched, incredible relationships were made and kept and an entire city rallied around these teams as they brought a much needed spark back into Columbia and South Carolina as a whole!
A wonderful piece was written about Jake when he was abroad in Sweden. A whole new side of himself and baseball are revealed here:
The Pursuit of Happiness for Jake Williams
A native of metro-Atlanta, Jonathan Hillyard has been telling stories focused around sports for his entire career. A remarkably average athlete growing up, he knew that to stay around the games he loved, a different path was necessary. This led to aspirations in first, print journalism, and ultimately in video and film.
Hillyard is an alumnus of the broadcast journalism school at The University of South Carolina, and since college has led productions for the Atlanta Braves, the University of Virginia, and his alma mater. In 2017, he was awarded an Emmy for his role producing “Gamecock Confidential”, an all-access series on the 2016 South Carolina Gamecocks football team.
Today, Hillyard runs his own production company, Connext Media LLC, in Atlanta, Georgia that focuses on telling great stories of local people, places, businesses and sports teams. He is also involved as an executive producer for Oust, a production company working with some of the top brands in the country. Lastly, Hillyard enjoys working as a freelance cinematographer for various sports teams including the Atlanta Falcons.
This project is a significant one for Hillyard, as it marks the first feature length documentary he has helped produce. It’s also a special role for him to work alongside Jake Williams, former Gamecock baseball player, to tell the story of one of his alma mater’s most proud moments.
When not out telling stories, Jonathan is passionate about spending time with his wife Erin and two kids Lucy and Mikey. Lastly, he has endured a lifetime of disappointment as a die-hard Atlanta sports fan. Thanks Braves, Falcons, Hawks, United, and Thrashers (rest in peace).